Photo: IFCAR / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
2006 Hyundai Elantra: common problems and reliability
One of the better Elantra years.
The best Hyundai Elantra year. All Elantra years
155 owner complaints, most about air bags. 1 recall.
Should I buy a 2006 Elantra?The 2006 Hyundai Elantra has 155 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are air bags and exterior lighting.
Safety record for the 2006 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2006 Hyundai Elantra vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Elantra years only. How we score it
Is 2006 a good year for the Elantra?
Across the 31 Elantra model years we track, complaint volume runs from 60 (1998) to 2,622 (2013). With 155 complaints, the 2006 Elantra sits below the model's median of 267.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2006 Elantra
exterior lighting
Campaign 09V280000HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
What owners say across generations
Sentiment is sharply divided and heavily dependent on model year and powertrain.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Elantra. See the full Elantra owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used Elantra listings typically run $9,966–$20,299.
Other Elantra model years
Compare every Elantra year side by side to see how 2006 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Elantra against its rivals
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